“Science is all around us. It serves as humanity’s primary tool for understanding reality, solving complex problems, and driving progress through evidence-based knowledge. Everytime we ask “Why?”, we are being Scientists.” – Albert Einstein
Science Curriculum
Rationale:
Science is not just a subject; it is a way of thinking. Our curriculum empowers students to explore the universe, from microscopic cells to distant galaxies. We foster a lifelong curiosity about how the world works, encouraging students to ask “why” and “how” about the world around them. Science has changed our lives and is vital to the world’s future prosperity.
Our pupils are taught essential aspects of knowledge, methods, processes and uses of science in the world today. Through building up a body of key foundational knowledge and concepts, pupils are encouraged to recognise the power of rational explanation and develop a sense of excitement and curiosity about natural phenomena. They are encouraged to understand how science can be used to explain what is occurring, predict how things will behave, and analyse causes.
Intent: Why do we teach what we teach?
Our science curriculum is designed so that pupils will know more, remember more and understand the world around them.
Our pupils are scientists who are developing a deeper understanding of the world. Units are planned to ensure progression of core scientific knowledge from year 7 through to year 11, with subject specific vocabulary and skills mapped out for each unit. Every unit has a practical aspect where pupils learn the scientific skills of making predictions, ensuring validity, analysing and evaluating results and drawing conclusions from experiments they investigate in lessons.
Implementation: How do we teach what we teach?
The science curriculum is a continuous curriculum that runs from Year 7 through to Year 11. In order to master the content covered, pupils are introduced to the majority of topics gradually throughout Year 7 and Year 8 to allow them the opportunity to organise new knowledge in their long-term memory. All future knowledge gained throughout Years 9-11 will fall within these topics allowing a solid foundation to build on. Built into the curriculum are frequent opportunities to revisit previous topics and link content with previous work.
Impact:
High stakes assessment will consist of the cumulative assessments built into the scheme of learning and assessment points. Low stakes assessment will consist of peer and self-assessment within lessons, verbal questioning, small quizzes and all other methods of assessment for learning.
Pupils complete a demonstrate task at the end of each lesson which summarises the lesson content. Staff will review this task and plan a connect task that ensures any misconceptions and gaps in knowledge are addressed in the subsequent lesson.
What enrichment opportunities do we offer in Science?
Pupils are offered opportunities to enhance their learning outside of the classroom through educational trips, workshops, seminars and science fairs. A weekly science club is open to all pupils and additional projects are integrated into the curriculum in KS3, for example Year 7 pupils visiting The Life Centre in Newcastle, Year 8 pupils going to the Yorkshire Wildlife Park and the Year 9 visit to Alton Towers looking at the link between forces and roller coasters. In Year 10 pupils have the opportunity to visit workplaces on Teesside, such as SABIC so that they can make the links between science in the classroom and science in the world around them.
How can the study of Science support students beyond school?
The importance of the different science topics to wider life experiences is explicitly shared with pupils from the onset. Careers and post 16 opportunities in science are identified throughout the curriculum as well as identifying key scientists, science facts, inventions, theories and areas of scientific interest. Therefore, pupils understand the purpose of the learning and can see the relevance to their own experience, increasing their science capital.
Science is everywhere, in every career and aspect of life and our curriculum aims to make this evident to pupils while instilling a deep understanding and passion for this incredible subject.
